


Sweet and Sour

by Seltzer_In_Shadow



Category: Adventure Time
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, F/F, Nonbinary Character, Queer Character, Queer Themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-02 17:59:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16791913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seltzer_In_Shadow/pseuds/Seltzer_In_Shadow
Summary: When Bonnie moves home to fulfill her candy experiment dreams she thinks she'll be happy making candy creations for the rest of her life. She doesn't expect her focus to turn from science and sugar to Marceline.The queen of the local music scene has always been about a good time but just being local might not be enough for Marceline or her band.**********************On hold for the time being. I got in a bit over my head here with all the characters as well as changed my original ending. I want to do this well but currently am not focused on it.Working on a different fic in the meantime. Thank you for your patience.





	1. All Smiles & Lollipops

The shop was being set up for Halloween. Everywhere were mad scientist decorations matching the theme of the shop’s name "Bubblegum's Candy Lab". Bonnie stood on a stool hanging up pumpkins with glowing green eyes. Her long bright pink hair swayed with her lab coat as she precariously swayed to the radio while she worked. 

She had been thinking of this moment for years. The Candy Lab had been her dream through chemistry labs and then later culinary school. A place she could show off her ideas, but others could too. Now it was truly candy season, and halloween candy experiments were the dream. 

Stepping down and looking around she realized she might have gotten carried away. The storefront looked crowded with all the 3D paper pumpkin experiments she had spent hours drawing up and cutting out, she began to take down a few to even it all out. 

Even with the crowd of decorations, the shop was fairly sizable. The main shop area had two large display cases near the counter. Right now the first was filled with Halloween gummies and hard candies in ‘spooky’ shapes. The second was for more artisan candies. Citrus favors, mango and dragonfruit. Wine favors, sweet chili candies and small chocolate truffles Bonnie was just getting confident enough in to sell in small batches. 

Stepping down she eyed the rest of the shop. The cluster of smaller pumpkins by the hard and soft candies in bulk looked alright but she moved them around anyway to see if they looked better scattered. The candies here were organized by color and Bonnie had worked at trying to create a rainbow effect on the wall. Some of the candies Bonnie didn't make but were harder to find at regular stores, she tried to keep those to a minimum but found they were good for the mix.

She headed into the class and events room. The room had eight class tables and a large table at the front of the room on a raised platform for teaching and demonstration. Right now there was a wine candy making class three nights a week which, the Friday one being the most popular. The room's mad scientists decorations were appropriate for the season but mostly hadn't changed from the rest of the year. She popped a few pumpkins up that she had taken down from the front. 

In the room over she heard the door’s bells jingled. 

Bonnie straightened herself into retail mode and stepped into the main room. It was still early in the day so foot traffic was slow as usual. She was happy to have someone come in. 

“Hi welcome to the candy Lab! I'm the owner Bonnible, let me know if you have any questions.”

“Thanks. I'm just looking” 

The woman was wearing a large floppy black sunhat which hid most of her face. Apart from the hat she was dressed casually in jeans and a red tank. She began eyeing the shelves of candy and walked toward the red ones.

Bonnie walked over to the counter and began to busy herself in the mess of tape and decorations by the register. She eyed the woman trying not to stare. 

The women grabbed two bags of strawberry licorice wheels before heading to the counter. 

This was the first look Bonnie got of her fully unobscured by the sun hat. The woman pushed aside her sleek jet black hair cut into a bob, and grabbed a lollipop by the counter and plopped down her candy. 

“These and the lollipop.” She unwrapped it and popped it in her mouth. 

Bonnie didn't look her in the eyes as she began to ring up the candy. Then she remembered her retail manners. 

“How's your day going?” 

The woman pushed the lollipop with her tongue to the side of her mouth and looked directly at Bonnie. 

“Not bad. You seem busy. Nice pumpkins” Her tone teasing and sarcastic, she smiled showing the red lolli through her teeth. 

Bonnie looked up trying to hide her irritation. 

“That'll be $8.75.” She locked eyes with the woman and immediately regretted it. 

The woman was still smiling but her stare was intense. She looked down gesturing to the card she had been holding out. 

Bonnie caught herself and took it a bit too forcefully. 

The woman laughed “Looks like I irritated the mad scientist. Let's start again, I'm Marceline. I really-.” 

The charge went through and in one swift movement Bonnie grabbed the receipt and candy before tossing them both in a bag. She handed it to an amused Marceline. 

“ Enjoy the rest of your day Marceline.” Bonnie turned to go back her pumpkins. Behind her she heard the door jingle again and then, 

“You too bubblegum scientist!” as Marceline walked out the door. 

Bonnie was left with the feeling of not knowing what to do with herself. Bad customers came with retail, she knew that, but she hated feeling mocked. She had worked too hard to get here and let hot headed women with bad jokes bother her. She began to muttered to herself angrily. 

Lost in thought she barely noticed as Finn walked through the door. Someone else might have wondered why the store keeper was talking to herself but this was a normal thing for Finn to witness. 

“Hey! The decorations look fantastic!” 

The tall lanky man gazed around at his boss’s handy work. His long blonde braid had its usual white bunny clip on the end, tying it all together. On anyone else it might have looked juvenile but on Finn it somehow worked. 

Finn worked at the shop part time on weekends and taught some classes at night during the week. Full time he was a high school math teacher but considered helping Bonnie more of a hobby than a job. The two had been friends since they were kids but Bonnie moving home again and opening her shop had helped them bridge the gap that had formed while she was away at school. When Bonnie had called him asking for help Finn was more than happy to agree. Even now that the shop was settling in, he stayed, and took on her offer of being part time manger. 

Glancing over Finn saw a frustrated Bonnie “You look upset. What's on your mind Bubblegum?” A nickname he and his brother Jake used for their pink haired friend. She thought the name would be a good fit for her shop and was use to it by now, but she still didn't love irritating customer's mocking her with it. 

Bonnie quickly tried to compose herself. Why was she letting hat girl get to her? It wasn't like her to care this much. She pushed Marceline from her mind. 

“Nothing. Just thinking about whether or not to test the exploding pumpkin recipe again today.” 

Finn looked skeptical “Is it ready yet? Because last time….”

Last time Bonnie tried her take on pop rocks they not so much fizzled as burned. Finn more often than not was her test subject and had lost his tastebuds more than a few times in these trials. Jake came by as well for candy testing but usually after the first two trials were completed, he had yet to show up for this one. 

She sighed. “Yesterday I modified the proportions and they didn't burn, but the pop was… hard? It wasn't pleasant.”

Finn could tell his friend was still lost in thought but didn't push further, “Let's work on that later and focus on the slime gummy molds today as planned”

Nodding, Bonnie pulled up her hair and began pulling out molds. Throwing herself into work into the work would help get her mind off things. 

The green slim gummies had already started selling well despite the season just starting. The display case had them as edible decorations to put on cookie trays and on the stems of glasses. The next step was to try red ones to look like dripping blood. Bonnie debated on which to do first but Finn was already taking out the red dye, excited to start the project. 

“Let’s go for it” he held out the red dye. “I think we’ve got the coloring measurements set at this point to make a larger batch.” 

Bonnie frowned. “No. Let’s do the green ones first and then do a small batch of the red, I want to test their selling first.” 

“You got it boss” Not fazed by her usual serious candy making tone Finn put the red dye back and pulled the green. 


	2. Candy and Curry Packs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marceline shouldn't have candy for dinner. Lump is a good influence.
> 
> Sorry for the late update! Let me know what you think in the comments!

Marceline laid on her bed pulling apart strawberry wheels, thinking of the woman she had just met. A pink haired candy scientist. When she had gone into the store, looking to pass time after work, she didn’t expect to be hung up on the the shops owner. Bonnibel was cute and easy to tease. When they had locked eyes Marceline could help but notice that her cheeks had turned the color of her bright hair. It didn't matter though because she had pushed her too far. 

She looked at small stack of concert flyers on her crowded desk. Her band, Evicted! was playing at The Nightosphere this Friday, she doubted she could invite the pink haired scientist now.  
Down the hall she hear the door open, Lump must be home from work early today.  
They called from the kitchen

“Hey Marc you home?” 

“Yeah, what’s up?” 

“Were out of paper towels and pretty much everything else food wise. I just got paid, want to make a grocery trip?”

Marceline got up and slowly made her way to the kitchen. Lump was searching the fridge for anything edible beside condiments. Disappointed, they closed the door.

“Strawberry wheel?” Marcy said offering her housemate one of the few candies left.  
Lump looked at Marceline with slight judgment in what her dinner choices would have been if they hadn't come home early. They took one anyway and bit right in. 

“Hey these are pretty good. Where did you get them?” 

“Candy place downtown. I stopped in after my lessons were done for the day.”

Marceline taught bass, guitar, and piano at a local music shop. It wasn't her first choice in a job but her and Lump’s band didn't always pay the bills even with gigs becoming fairly regular these days. 

“What's it called? 

“Bubblegum's Candy Lab" 

“Oh yeah I've seen that place. You can make stuff there right?”

“Don't know, didn't really ask.” 

Lump noticed a shift in Marceline’s mood.

“You never answered my question about the grocery store. Tips were good today with the lunch rush and with my sad paycheck we should be able to get what we need.” 

“Yeah sure, I'm ready when you are.“

“Cool let's go now before I settle in”

As they grabbed their bag off counter Lump asked. 

“Did something happen today? You're sort of off… Sugar crashing already?” 

“Noope.” Marceline said sitting on the floor lacing up her boots, candy wheel between her teeth. 

“Just the usual. Kids forced to lay piano when they want to play bass.” 

Lump ran their hand over their freshly shaved head. Their hair, which had been a short dark purple, now was a fuzzy lavender. They loved the feeling but it was weird not having anything catch their fingers. 

“uhhuh. Okay, whatever, let's get some of those curry packets" Whatever it was Lump figured they'd hear it eventually. 

They walked out together towards Lump’s car. A beat up Toyota Corolla they refused to part with. Marceline wasn’t sure how it kept passing inspection. 

“Go out with me tonight”  
Lump opened their door and quickly threw the trash on the passenger side to the back.  
“You sort of seem like you need it.”

Marceline got in and began buckling the temperamental passenger seatbelts. They were the kind that buckled separately but even then they were both losing their spring. 

“Pfff I need it? You're the one who hasn't been going out lately. I know the music school is a life suck but can serving really be all that better? I mean at least we got to play in the downtime. Plus Leon is an ass but he's too dumb to really notice no one takes him seriously.” 

Leon Garb was why Lump had the left the school but they hadn't really told Marce that yet. 

Lump “ Look I know serving isn't great but I'm actually doing well tip-wise and the people I work with are cool.” 

They paused seeing Marceline get slightly hurt by them saying that. 

“Look you know I don't like kids much. This works for me. Either way I miss you and I'm excited to have a Saturday night off for once.” 

They had always bickered like this. The two had met in reform school at sixteen and initially hated each. It wasn't until the schools supposedly PG talent show where Marceline had sang Against Me!’s ‘Thrash Unreal’ instead of her announced Ave Maria, that Lump knew she was alright. From there they bonded over punk, queerness, anarchy and became best friends.  
When they both graduated they decided to take music seriously and move in together. Moving to Oobigle had been Lump's idea. Marceline had family and connections here, rent was cheaper and the city had a good music and art scene. Since then the two had found a keyboardist and back up guitarist. They were good and people were beginning to notice. 

Marceline caved. 

“Okay, okay I'll drop it. Where did you want to go tonight anyway?”

“Hmm well that's up to you... If you wanted to actually go out I was thinking we’d go to Simon’s place since he wouldn't charge us to go in, but if you’re thinking more low key maybe just Trunks?” 

Tree Trunks had been their usual after work meetup pub, which wasn't really going out as much as it was dinner and beers.

“Let’s just do Simon’s.” 

“Sounds good.” 

The ride was silent as Marceline thought of how to bring up what was on her mind. Lump waited. 

“I saw a weird girl today.” 

There it was 

“Uh huh? And?” Marceline had a lot of feelings but most of the time pretended she was too cool for them. Lump thought it was an old gig but played along anyway.

“She owns the candy place.”

“Okay. Seems like a reasonable profession.” 

“I think I made her mad?”

“That sounds like you. What do you want to do about it?”

“Well should I like apologize or just forget it?”

Lump smiled. Marceline still acted the same around crushes as she had when they were 16. 

“Well it seems like it’s bothering you so you should probably apologize to her by writing her the sappiest love song imaginable.” 

Marceline paused “That's not a terrible idea...” 

“No. It is. Just apologize like a normal person. Maybe buy some more candy while you’re at it.”

They reached out in request of another wheel. Marceline put the last wheel in their hand. Which went directly into Lumps mouth and was gone in two bites.

“There goes my dinner candy thief. At least you're getting us curry.” 

“Oh get your own damn curry, Ms. I think I'll have candy for dinner.” 

“Cooome ooon you're making sooo much more than me now! Riiiight?” 

“Shove it up your box Marcy” 

\------------------

Bonnie turned off the lights, engaged the alarm and locked the shop. Finn was waiting outside for her. Determined to not let her spend the night on candy chemistry and formulas again, he insisted they go out. 

“Jake is waiting for us at Simon's!”

Bonnie turned to Finn looking not extremely excited. Simon's was high energy. Could she handle that right now?

“Should I change or should we just go?”

“If I let you go home you'll be tempted to do math and as a math teacher I can't have that! You look great! Plus, Lab coats are in!” 

The three friends had developed a strategy where Bonnie could invoke the social safety net policy. If after two hours she wasn't having it they could leave no questions asked. If she really needed to invoke it sooner she could but usually she forgot to invoke it at all. The social safety net allowed for her to go out but know she wouldn't be forced to stay. The two hour idea has been Bonnie's, who figured it gave her just enough time to figure out the vibe of the place. 

Bonnie looked at herself in the reflection of the store front. Seeing her goggles on her head she removed them and fixed her hair. Under the lab coat she was wearing a white button up shirt and bright pink pants. Without it she looked like a soccer mom looking for Margaritaville. She chose to keep it on. 

“Ready to go? You look great!” In the reflection she saw Finn smile and felt grounded in having her friend there. 

She turned “Ready” 

Together they walked to Simon's


End file.
